Please ensure you have read what you should expect from your experience day on each of the Experience pages which should answer most of your questions.
However a few of the regular questions we receive via social media and email are answered below. For more information on any of the issues raised below or if you have a new question not covered here please contact us.
Where are you located? We have moved! We currently have two sites, The Outdoor Site and The Indoor Site. We are now located on the border of Hertfordshire & Essex about half a mile to a mile from the old site. Shortly before your experience you will receive an email giving directions to the specific range where your experience is taking place, please read this and try not to go to the wrong venue.
The Outdoor Site can be found on Google here(look out for signage for the Lakes/AquaSplash to find the outdoor site)..
The new Indoor Range (and Air Rifle Ranges) are at the other end of Redricks Lane. Enter via a wooden gate on the south side of the road through a field and we are located in one of the buildings in the yard. There is a banner sign by the field gate and amply hard-stand parking.
You can also find us on Waze by searching for "Skill at Arms Sawbridgeworth".
If you are lost or having trouble finding us please call and we can talk you in.
Is there parking available Yes, Parking is available at both sites. The Entrance track to the outdoor site parking area can be a little rough after heavy rain, if you have a low sports car with risk of grounding be aware it may mean you will have a short walk from the road.
There is amply parking on hard surface at the Indoor Site and a good access road.
Can I bring family members/friends to watch? At the moment we cannot allow spectators on the outdoor range. This is to help with the social distancing and keeping everyone safe. However guardians of under 18 shooters and those assisting disabled guests are allowed but please remember to keep yourselves safe and be aware of those around you. We thank you for your understanding in these difficult times.
There is limited space for spectators at the indoor range and viewing is through a window to the range.
Are there any age limitations? You can find details of restrictions and advisory age ranges on each of the information pages by clicking here. We recommend that our rifle shooting experiences are suitable for guests aged 14+. We have recommended ages in place as size and weight of the rifles for that particular experience may not be suitable for guests younger that the specified age. Please contact us if you have any questions about limitations.
Are we allowed to take photos on the ranges? Yes, so long are you are safe and follow the Range Officers' instructions and everyone in the photos agrees to them being taken. Please remember to tag Skill at Arms on any photos you post! Live-streaming, playing music or taking calls is not allowed on the firing point. On the indoor range we will take pictures if you wish and there will be time for posed shots at the end if you would like them.
Is lunch offered on the range? Unless otherwise specified, I am afraid that we do not offer food or drinks at this time. There are plenty of stores within a 10 minute drive from the venue which you can pick up some resources from before or after your experience. The outdoor site has a small cafe situated a few minutes walk away.
Where can I see reviews of Skill at Arms? Please head on over to the 'Reviews' page where you will find links to our Trip Advisor and Facebook reviews.
I have never shot a gun before, can I still come? Yes, there is a first time for everything, and you will be in good hands! We offer expert tuition by fully trained instructors at all of our experiences. The Rifle Shooting Experience is perfect for beginners, and hosts a variety of different shooting styles to give you a comfortable overview on rifle shooting.
I work for an influencer, can they have a free session in exchange for promoting your business? Yes, of course. Please pay for the experiences as usual and they will receive a booking code to post. If the code is used to make bookings at least 10 times in the 30 days after your post we will refund your individual purchase.
Do you sell rifles/ammunition? No, we do not sell rifles or ammunition at Skill at Arms. Any ammunition that that has not been used on an experience must be returned to the range officer. Leaving the site with either firearms or ammunition in your possession is an offence with stiff penalties under UK Law.
Can I bring my own rifle? No. All our firearms are inspected regularly to ensure they are safe to use and we cannot be held responsible for any possible incidents with air rifles/pistols or firearms that we have not checked or maintained ourselves.
If you wish to shoot your own firearms you may like to take a look at REDRICKS RANGES home page.
Is this legal? Short answer is Yes. We do not condone or entertain any illegal activity especially with firearms, this is our livelihood as well as our hobby. We fully comply with the relevant UK firearms legislation and we are fully insured to cover our liability should anything untoward happen.
Can I shoot the rifles in the original calibre? Not with us on our Experiences. UK law does allow many of the rifles to be owned and shot in their origianal calibre or cartridge size but you would have to join a club or find a local club that is having an open day. The law only allows us to run the Experiences using the smaller cartridges.
Can I fire handguns? Short answer is No. Handguns are generally banned in the UK.
Can I fire machine guns (automatic guns)? Short answer is No. Like handguns, machine guns are generally banned in the UK.
Do you use real firearms or blank firing/airsoft replicas? Real firearms. All our rifles are live fire 'real' firearms. They are adapted or built to fire the .22 Long Rifle (.22LR) cartridge making the experience UK legal.
Are the machine-guns fully automatic? No. Full-auto fire is not generally legal in the UK and as such all our firearms are single-shot or semi-auto. Full-auto, while fun, is not conducive to accurate shooting and the ammunition costs can get very high very quickly.
Where can I shoot handguns and machine guns? Not with us and most likely not in the UK. You can try the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, one of the more liberal countries in Europe or parts of the US. Or for a rewarding career with free ammo join the Army.
How can I book one of the experience days? To book your experience day, head on over to our Booking page.
I'm having trouble using the booking system. Please take a look at this document to see if it helps you. If you are still having problems, please contact us and we will assist as much as possible.
Do you offer discount coupons? We will sometimes post offers and discounts on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Make sure you 'Like' and follow us to keep up to date with any offers and competitions!
My child is under 14 - can they still shoot? The rifles can be large and heavy for some children under the age of 14, and we only impose this restriction for the safety and comfort of the experience. However, if your child is between 12 and 14 please contact us before you book, we can discuss this and work out if we believe your child will be okay with the rifles that we use.
I want to book a team building day for my employees, do you offer this? Yes, we welcome corporate and private experience days and we can tailor the experiences to your needs. Please contact us so we can get started! Please do bare in mind that it is not possible for us to cater for large numbers at this time due to safety aspects - contact us for more information and to see if we can host you.
Can I make a Group Booking for more than 4 people? Groups of more than 4 can be catered for in many circumstances. To book large groups of up to 8 or more please contact us in the first instance. We will then arrange extra staffing and agree a suitable date for your group.
Can I buy gift vouchers for the Skill at Arms Experiences? You can purchase vouchers on our Gift Vouchers page.
Where can I buy vouchers for your experience days? You can purchase vouchers on our Gift Vouchers page.
I haven't received my voucher yet, can you tell me when it will be sent? Skill at Arms gift vouchers are all created manually and as such will take a few days to generate and be sent to the email address provided. If you need one super quickly as you have forgotten a friend's birthday or left it to the last minute to purchase we will try to expedite matters but we can only attempt this if you let us know, please call as it is quicker than email.
We have recently received a lot of calls about missing or not-sent vouchers with the same issue. In many of these cases the purchaser has used a different email address to the one they regularly check (and often different to the paypal address too). Please make sure when checking for voucher emails to look in both Received and Spam/Junk folders of the correct email address entered during purchase.
How long do gift vouchers last for? As standard, vouchers purchased on the site will expire 1 year from the date the email is sent to you.
I would like to buy multiple vouchers, is this something that you offer? Yes, we can accommodate multiple vouchers, and custom vouchers should they be required. Please email the voucher team at vouchers@skillatarms.co.uk with your details, and they will assist you with your custom voucher order.
My gift voucher is about to expire - can I book now for an experience after the expiry date? Yes - you can! So long as you place your booking before the expiry date of the voucher, the experience date can be for anytime in the future (before or after the expiry date).
My voucher has expired. Can I get a refund? Sadly not. Once your voucher has expired, it is no longer valid and should be disposed of. Most vouchers will last for 12 months so you should have more than enough time to book in your experience. You can purchase new vouchers on our Gift Voucher page.
If you have not found the answer to your question above, please send us a message where we will endeavour to answer your question as soon as possible. Alternatively you can send us a message on our Facebook Page for a more prompt response.
